Open Science and the emergence of preprints

Abstract

technology and innovation of preprints is represented in the strategy of Plan U, a tactic for universal access to productive and low-cost research to provide researcher's open access to the results of research (5) . Thus, besides open scientific data sharing, agility in the socialization of results, open scientific tools, open laboratory notebooks, discoveries or research selections (2,6) , the preprint model gives priority to discoveries and ideas, is low cost and easily found, accessed and cited, since it does not undergo the typical flow of a peer-review publication (5) . It also enhances career progression and improves communication culture in the scientific community (7) .In fact, this movement for Open Science bring the benefits that come from the adoption of the preprint model: agility, considering the rapid availability online of the document to the scientific community for reading and citation (8) ; free, unrestricted and open access (5) ; assurance of originality, ensuring the priority of the discovery or research topic to the author, institution, laboratory of research group (8) . The adoption of the preprint model also straightly relates to the defense of Open Science when it makes research results freely available for authors and readers in a free online repository that favors authors with the exemption of submission and publication rates or even of the fees for accessing the published articles, generating economies. Besides, other advantages are the increasing number of publications, considering that the distribution of preprints uses DOI (Digital Object Identifier) (2) ; the improvement of the manuscript, since the preprint can be commented by peers and improved in future versions, which can be accessed by readers (5) ; simultaneous submission, since a preprint submission does not prevent that the manuscript be submitted to a peer-review journal (8) . Furthermore, the minimization of study duplication has been mentioned, since the fast availability of research results can prevent financial investment in new studies, because there are already trials in course (2) . Other aspects highlighted in literature were the publication of negative results in the preprint model, often rejected by peer-review journals, and the assurance of publication, because even if it takes time for the manuscript to be evaluated by a journal or to be rejected, it will be distributed through preprint (8) . As the preprints can present methodological, statistic and other mistakes, agility in publication can allow for easy detection of these mistakes and correction for future versions (2) . Another point to highlight is the fast dissemination of the manuscript, which increases the preprints' citation window (8) .As we reinforce the many benefits of adopting the preprint publication model and the steps towards the alignment to Open Science practices, some challenges to its implementation should be defined in the fields of Nursing and Health Sciences: partial information from the production of knowledge can have an impact on prof...

The use and acceptability of preprints in health and social care settings: a scoping review

“…(53,68) This not only has important implications for Early Career Researchers (ECRs) (50,53) but also allows for negative findings to be published and openly accessible. (5,12,47,53,54,66,68) (See Table 3 for a summary of statements associated to the benefits and value associated with the use of preprint publications)…”

“…(54,76) However, the evidence was sparse, with most focusing on the publication aspect of research findings. (See supporting materials S4 Table : Funding organisations position on preprints for grant applications and publications) Some funding organisations have taken the initiative to develop their own exclusive platform to host preprints and other non-peer reviewed publications such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (platform to present findings as a future preprint server (Gates Open Research), using the F1000 Research technical platform that is leased for a fee (12) ); Wellcome Trust (preprint server since 2016 (Wellcome Open Research)) 5 ; and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) (an Open Research platform for its researchers to publish, using prepublication checks and open peer review). (77) The evidence also showed that many funding organisations are also assessing their policies and guidance or implementing new policies that take account of preprints in varying situations.…”

“…Preprints allow for the promotion of replications, confirmatory, contradictory, or negative findings, which generally tend to be marginalised by traditional journals (including controversial results) including alternative platforms to present data (5,12,47,53,54,66,68) Democratic process and systems…”

“…Providing early career researchers/scientists opportunities to showcase their work early to the public, offering positive effect on job opportunities or funding (5,13,39,50,59,60,62,81,97,99,102)…”

“…These barriers cause risk to the value of the research and its contribution to future scientific research and discovery being realised. (2)(3)(4)(5) Preprints can offer a solution, and for some academic disciplines preprints have been part of the publication pathway for more than 20 years, providing instant access to research via preprint servers (e.g., arXiv, bioRxiv, chemRxiv, and EarthArxiv). (1) The first preprint server known as arXiv came into practice in the physics community in 1991.…”